Mousetrap



J. L. LEH MAN MOUSETRAP Feb. 16, 1954 Filed March 24, 1949 ATrOAFNE/S-Patented Feb. 16, 1954 N TED STATES; O ICE The present invention relatesgenerally to animal-exterminating devices, and more particularly to anovel m ous'eor'" rat trap which is disposed of alongwith the remains ofthe trapped -m'ouse' or rat. g g Y In the known" types of mouse trapswhich arecontinuously re-use'd, the task of removing the dead mouse" isusually a very disagreeable one, especially for women. Also, the knowntraps leavethe battered remains of the mouse exposed to View; andaccording to the medical profession are most unsanitary and spread manydiseases. Thetype o'f'trap in-which a U-shaped wire member snaps overthee'dge'of a'thin wooden block has the particulardisadvantage of oftensnapping closed on the fingers of the one who is attempting to set it.Another disadvantage of this same type of trap is that the bait usuallyhasto be tied to the pan to prevent it from being stolen.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a noveltrap whereby the remains of the trapped rodent are disposed of in a mostsanitary manner; 1

Another object is to provide a trap which con ceals the remains of thetrapped rodent.

Another object is to 'provide'a trap which is disposed of along with theremains of the-rodent.

" e elem. (o1. 43 79) Another object isto provide a trap from whichthe-rodent cannot'steal the bait.

Another object is to provide a trap which canbe 'set'without anypossibility of it catching the fingers of a person setting it.

Other" objects are 'to provide a mouse trap- Which is simple inconstruction, has a minimum number of parts; and which is relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Further objects and advantage of the present Fig; 2- is a sideelevationalview 6r the trap;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view lof th'elil I 7 Fig.5 i -isa"topplairi'vieiv of thetrap Withth e top ofthe container open so ast'oshow the .inner construction of it;

'g.-5 is'a' longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on -the-line "5-5 .in Fig. lf showing the Plunger in-th'e cocked position; Ff fi 6*isa"fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to 'Fi'gz fi but "showinig'fthjelplunger .inthe. tripped position 1 Fig. 7 is a transverse verticalsectional view takenon the line 'l-'l 'ofFig. 2; 1

Fig. 8-'is' a top plan view'of the U-shaped frame ofthe'plungerassembly;

Fig; 9- is a side elevational view of the frame or the mung-eiassembly;and

mouse trap made in accordance with the teachings' of the presentinvention which includes a plunger assembly 14 disposed within acontainer The plunger "assembly l4 includes an inverted U-shaped framel8 (Figs. 8 and 9) which has a transverse top portion 20 and dependingleg portions 22, the latter containing edges 23. A transverse -groove"24is formed in the top portion '20 parallel with and adjacent to one edgethereof. A short slot 25 is also formed in the top portion20"perpendicular to the groove 24, and extends from the groove to theedge of the frame adjacent thereto. As shown in Fig. 8, the slot 25divides'thegroove 24 into two portions 26 and 21, the portion 26 beinglonger than the portion 21 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Anelongated's'lot '28 isformed in the top portion 20 parallel with andadjacent the edge opposite to the one which contains the short slot 26.

Vertical grooves 30 are formed in the inner faces of the leg portions 22parallel with the edges thereof'and in alignment with the long slot 28.The grooves 30 do'not extend the full length of the leg portions 22, butterminate short of the endsthe'reOf fora purpose to be describedhereinafter.

An" inverted"T shap'ed plunger34 (Fig. 7),

which"include'sa stem portion 36 and a trans verse-portion 38; isdisposed in theframe 18 with .the stem' portion 35"in'the slot'28 andthe ends of the transverse portion 38 in the grooves 30. It is apparentthat the plunger 34 can reciprocate vertically a distanceequal to thelength'of the'grooves' 30. A 'rectangularly shaped slot '40 :iscontained in the stem portion 36, and a tab '42 (Figs. 5 and 6)' is"formed substantially perpen'' dicular to the plunger 34 at the lower endof the slot 49. V-shaped teeth 44 depend from the transverse portion 38.A coil spring 45 is dis posed-aroundthestem portion 36 between thetransverse portion 38 of the plunger and the transverse top portion 20of'the frame I8.

Atrip plate lfi (Fig. 1Q) having a T shaped projection. 43! formed. on.the upper. end .thereof is :pivotally mounted inthe: groove 24' on thetop portion 20. The T-shaped portion 41 has cross portions 48 and 49 ofunequal length, the portion 49, which is the longer, being disposed inthe portion 26 of the groove 24. A plurality of openings 50 are formedin the body of the plate 46 and a detent which includes a shoulderportion 52, is formed in the upper portion thereof for a purpose to bedescribed hereinafter.

The container it, which is made of cardboard or like material, isrectangular in shape and includes a front wall 53, a rear wall 54, abottom wall 55, side walls 56, and a top wall 58 which is hinged to theupper edge of a side wall 56. As

shown in Fig. 4, a first transverse slot 65 is formed in the top wall 58so as to accommodate the free end of the stem portion 36 of-the plunger34 which extends therethrough, and a second transverse slot BI is formedtherein between the slot 60 and the rear wall 54 for a purpose to be.

described. hereinafter. An opening large enough to permit the entranceof a mouse or other rodent for which the trap is to be set, is containedin the front wall 53. In operating form, the container is preferablypermanently closed, except for the opening E2, and the aligned openings6i and 64, the latter being provided in the upper rear flap 68 as shownin Fig. 4.

Operation To set the trap, the container it with the plunger assembly l4disposed therein is held with its longitudinal axis horizontal or withthe opening 02 tilted downwardly. The free end of the plunger stem 35 isthen pulled upwardly out of the container l6, thereby compressing thespring 45. As the plunger stem 36 is pulled out of the container it, thefree end of the tab 42 rides upwardly on the inner surface of the tripplate 48. When the tab 42 passes beyond the upper edge of the detentill, the trip plate 45 swings toward the plunger 34 so that, when theplunger is released, the shoulder 52 or" the detent 51 engages the freeend of the tab 42, thereby retaining the plunger 34 in a cooked or armedposition.

It is to be understood that either before or after the plunger iscooked, the trap can be positioned so that the top wall 58 facesupwardly and a piece of bait dropped into the container through the slot8!, thereby positioning it on the far side of the trip plate 46. Asshown in Fig. '7, the trip plate 46 extends substantially from wall towall of the container so that it is impossible for a mouse or otherrodent to paw the bait around the edge of the trip plate and escapebeing caught.

It is apparent that with this construction the person setting the trapdoes not have to fear accidental tripping of the plunger 34, because, ifit does occur, there is no chance of the person being injured because itis totally enclosed by the container IS.

The openings 50 in the trip plate 45 permit the mouse or other rodentpeering into theopening 52 to see the light entering the containerthrough the slot 6i so that it is not so reluctant to enter.

When a mouse or other rodent enters the opening 62 and attempts to reachthe bait located on the far side of the trip plate 48, it pushes againstthe latter, thereby causing it to pivot away from the plunger 34. As thetrip plate pivots outwardly, the shoulder-52 of the detent 5| moves awayfrom the end of thetab': 42, thereby releasing the plunger 34.- When theplunger 34 is released, the spring 45* drives it- 4 downwardly, plungingthe teeth 44 into the body of the mouse.

The lower ends of the grooves 39 limit the downward movement of theplunger 34 so that the teeth 44 will not penetrate the bottom 55 of thecontainer l6 when the plunger is tripped.

As will be noted from Figs. 4, 8 and 10, and as commented on previously,the cross portions 48 and 49 of the T -shaped projection 4? are ofunequal length, as are the portions 26 and 21 of the groove 24.Therefore, there is no chance of the assembler inadvertently suspendingthe trip plate 415 in the U-shaped frame It so that the detent 5| isfacing in the wrong direction, without immediately perceiving the error.

The edges 23. of the U-shaped frame is bear against the rear wall 54 ofthe container so as to aid in the proper positioning of the plungerassembly I4 therein. Also, the assembly [4 is quite long so as toprevent it from being displaced by pivoting around the plunger stemportion 36 in the slot 68 due to the action of the trapped rodent.

Because the body of the mouse is totally within the container iii, aperson can pick up the trap l2 and dispose of both it and the mousewithout having to touch or view the remains of the latter.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided a novel rodent trapwhich fulfills all the objects sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawing have been given only by way of illustration andexampie, and that changes and alterations in the present disclosure,which will be readily appar ent to one skilled in the art, arecontemplated as within the scope of the present invention which islimited only by the claims which follow.

What-is claimed is:

l. A plunger assembly for use in a rodent trap, comprising a plunger andmeans for reciprocally supporting the plunger, means including atransverse portion having a transverse groove formed adjacent one edgethereof and a slot leading into the groove from said edge, the portionsof the groove on each side of the slot being of unequal length; triggermeans pivotally mounted on the transverse portion, said last named meansincluding a T-shaped projection having a vertical portion and transverseportions extending normal thereto, the transverse portions being ofunequal length, and means for releasably maintaining the plunger in acooked position.

2.A plunger assembly for use in a rodent trap, comprising a plungermeans for reciprocally supporting the plunger, a trigger member forreleasably maintaining the plunger in cocked position; and means forremovably and pivotally.

mounting the trigger member on the support cluding a hinged cover havinga slot therein; and 1 a plunger assembly positioned within the comtainer, the plunger assembly including a stationary sheet metal frame ofinverted U-sliape having a fiat transverse top portion snugly fittingun- .derneath thetop of said container and depending leg portionsdisposed'against the side walls of said container and being ofrectangular configuration of a height substantially the same as theinterior of said container and having a flat edge bottom resting on thebottom surface of said container so as to be disposed against anyrocking movement within the container, a sheet metal plunger of invertedT-shape reciprocally mounted in the frame and movable between a trippedposition and a cooked position, the upper end of the plunger extendingthrough the slot in the cover to maintain the plunger assembly inlongitudinal position relative to the ends of the container withoutadditional fastening means between the plunger assembly and thecontainer, spring means disposed between the frame and the plungerurging the plunger toward the tripped'position, and means for releasablyholding the plunger in the cooked position.

4. A plunger assembly for use in a rodent trap, comprising a sheet metalframe of inverted U- shape having a transverse portion and depending legportions adjacent the ends thereof; a sheet metal plunger of invertedT-shape reciprocally mounted in the frame and movable between a trippedposition and a cocked position; an armlike portion struck from the bodyof the vertically extending part of th plunger so as to extend outwardlytherefrom below the transverse portion of the frame; and trigger meanspivotally suspended from the transverse portion of the frame adjacentthe plunger, said last named means having a shoulder for engagement withthe arm-like portion of the plunger for releasably maintaining thelatter in the cocked position.

5. A plunger assembly for use in a rodent trap, comprising a sheet metalframe of inverted U- shape having a transverse portion and depending legportions adjacent the ends thereof, the transverse portion containing aslot adjacent one edge and a groove adjacent the other edge, and a notchextending from the groove to the edge adjacent thereto; a sheet metalplunger of inverted T-shape reciprocally mounted in the slot and movablebetween a tripped position and a cooked position; an arm-like portionstruck from the vertically extending part of the plunger so as to extendnormal thereto below th transverse portion of the frame; and plate-liketrigger means having a T-shaped upper portion suspended from the groovein the transverse portion of the frame so as to be disposed adjacent theplunger, said trigger means having a shoulder pressed therefrom forengagement with the end of the arm-like portion of the plunger forreleasably maintaining the latter in the cooked position.

6. A disposable rodent trap, comprising a boxlike container of cardboardor like material; and a plunger assembly positioned Within thecontainer, said plunger assembly including a stationary sheet metalframe of inverted U-shap having a fiat transverse top portion snuglyfitting underneath the top of said container and depending leg portionsdisposed against the side walls of said container and being ofrectangular configuration of a height substantially the same as theinterior of said container and having a fiat edge bottom resting on thebottom surface of said container so as to b disposed against any rockingmovement within the container, a planiform sheet metal plunger ofinverted T-shape reciprocably mounted in the frame with its endsslidably disposed in vertical grooves in said leg portions so as to becompletely self contained within said frame and movable between atripped position and a cooked position, spring means disposed betweenthe plunger and said frame urging the plunger toward the trippedposition, and means for releasably holding the plunger in the cookedposition.

JOHN L. LEHMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 363,554 Sewel May 24, 1887 432,139 Kerns July 15, 1890 996,599Harding June 27, 1911 1,027,974 Barker May 28, 1912 ,262,946 HarrimanApr. 16, 1918 1,281,403 Marcell Oct. 15, 1918 2,104,083 Krahl Jan. 4,1938 ,149,311 Potts Mar. 7, 1939 2,359,341 Weil Oct. 3, 1944 2,391,640Nemec Dec. 25, 1945 2,454,476 Price Nov. 23, 1948 2,518,819 RoesslerAug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,680 Great Britainof 1898 28,017 Great Britain of 1906

